Divine Intervention
by SailorMochiMoon
Summary: A while after the Dark Tournament everything for Yusuke's group seemed to fall back into normalcy. One day after school Yusuke and Kuwabara meet up with Kurama and Hiei for a sparring match. They all sense a strange spiritual pressure, one they've never felt before. Who is the owner of this pressure? What kind of adventure awaits the spirit detective team this time?
1. Chapter 1

**A/N:** Hello everyone and thank you for taking the time to read my first ever fanfic! Yu Yu Hakusho has a special place in my heart and I've been sitting on making a fic for about a year now. It will be a story revolving around an OC. I haven't decided who I want her to end up with yet. I've had the thought of each guy having their own chapter with her for character development, almost like routes in an otome game. Or if there is a certain guy more people would rather see her with I wouldn't mind doing it that way either. Anyway, please enjoy! Creative comments are always welcome, please if you have anything negative to say don't even bother. Needless to say, I do not own Yu Yu Hakusho, only my OCs. Yu Yu Hakusho belongs to Yoshihiro Togashi.

* * *

"Hey, Urameshi...!" A voice said in almost a whisper, though that didn't make it any less annoying."Urameshi.." The voice called again, growing a little louder and brought the rest of the noise of the outside world with it. Clattering of desks and chairs, voices talking and laughing...and then that voice. "I said, HEY URAMESHI!" The voice bellowed angrily in the ear of a slumbering spirit detective. "Goddamn!" Yusuke Urameshi yelled, just as loud as the voice did in his ear as he threw his head up from his desk and slammed his hands down, brown eyes glaring daggers at a snickering carrot-top. "You are gonna blow out my eardrums, you idiot oaf!" The teen spirit detective spat as he gingerly rubbed the ear Kuwabara yelled into. The smirk that was plastered on Kuwabara's lips quickly fell and pointed accusingly at the darker haired male. "Hey, it's not my fault. I tried callin' your name plenty of times. That was a last resort. And who are you callin' an idiot oaf?!" Both Yusuke and Kuwabara gave each other an unpleasant look while never losing eye contact as if one would lose a game if they looked away.

All of their peers only gave them a passing glance as this kind of behavior was pretty much a daily routine for them, the only thing that made them somewhat behave was a harsh scolding from Keiko, who was nowhere to be found. Just as the ringing in Yusuke's ear began to fade, he sighed heavily as he kicked up his legs and propped them on his desktop while leaning back his chair. "Well, what could have been sooo important for you to interrupt me from my nap?" Kuwabara scratched the back of his head in a confused fashion, giving Yusuke a blank stare. "You-oh don't tell me you forgot! You really are an idiot!" Yusuke groaned, he rolled his eyes, knowing it made Kuwabara's blood boil.

The male in the blue jumpsuit stomped his foot in protest. "I didn't forget!" Kuwabara lied as he rocked on the heels of his shoes. "Oh! That's right! Have you heard about the transfer student?" Yusuke gave a look that he didn't know nor cared which made his friend continue on. "Well apparently it's a really pretty girl!...not that you care because you have Keiko and me with my lovely Yukina but still! She's all everyone has been talking about today. Didn't you hear Keiko say she was asked to show the girl around?" Letting out a yawn, Yusuke shook his head. "Nope, don't believe I did." He admitted before Kuwabara crossed his arms. "You should really pay attention to Keiko more! I dunno why she puts up with you!" Yusuke grimaced and stood up from his desk. "Well if this transfer chick is such a huuuge deal then let's go find Keiko."

He didn't really want to hear any nagging from Kuwabara or anyone else for that matter, shoving his hands into the pockets of his green pants, Yusuke exited the classroom with Kuwabara eagerly following behind. The two teen boys casually walked around the halls in search of the brunette female, Keiko, when they noticed her leaving the teacher's lounge. She blinked her big brown eyes when she spotted Yusuke and Kuwabara walking towards her. "Oh, hey guys! Yusuke, I'm surprised to see you up from your nap." Keiko remarked teasingly which only led to Yusuke letting out a snort. "I'd still be sleeping if Kuwabara didn't wake me up to see this new transfer student."

The orange haired male was swiftly looking around the hall but saw no unfamiliar females in the crowd, much to his disappointment. "Oh? I won't be doing that until tomorrow. She was here a while earlier and we met with the teachers but she left a little bit ago. I was just finishing up going over everything with sensei so I'd be prepared tomorrow." Kuwabara slumped over. "Aw man, we gotta wait a whole 'nother day! Well, do you know her name, Keiko?" Yusuke scoffed before elbowing Kuwabara. "Whatever happened to your beloved Yukina?" With a pained look on his face, Kuwabara was taken aback. "How dare you accuse me of forgetting about my snowflake! I was just curious about our new classmate's name!" The female giggled lightly at the boys and waved her hand to grab the attention of the two again. "Her name is Kotone Tendou. She seems really nice, a little different but nice"

* * *

Later that day after school Yusuke and Kuwabara had parted ways with Keiko, as they had planned a training session with Kurama and Hiei. It had been some time since the dark tournament ended but that was no excuse to let up on training and even though Koenma would have a case for the spirit detective on occasion it wasn't anything he ever broke a sweat doing. He and the others were starting to get incredibly anxious. They decided on an abandoned park on the east side of town, the sun was starting to set, causing a blanket of red to cover the town. A double sparring match is what was agreed upon. Yusuke and Kuwabara against Hiei and Kurama. " How well do you think you'll fare against us without your spirit powers? Will you even be able to keep up with the detective?" The short fire demon questioned Kuwabara with a dark smirk on his face. Both the spirit detective and fox demon signed lightly as the orangette brute huffed and fumed at the fire demon. "What was that short stack? Couldn't hear ya from all the way down there!" Yusuke smacked the back of his hand against Kuwabara's chest. "Calm down, will ya?"

"Yusuke is right. Hiei is only trying to get under your skin..." Kurama trailed off as his emerald eyes looked down at former partner. Hiei crossed his arms, taking his red eyes away from Kurama's. "You feel that, don't you, Fox?" Kurama nodded slightly as the two demons looked off in a different direction. "Huh? What's up with the two of you?" Yusuke scratched the back of his head for a moment before a light of realization flashed in his eyes. He turned his gaze over to Kuwabara who looked in the same direction as Kurama and Hiei. "It's a very weak spiritual pressure but something is...different about it," Kurama explained as the group looked in the direction of the strange pressure. "I think it's comin towards us, guys." Kuwabara cracked his knuckles with a cocky smirk. Hiei scoffed and crossed his arms. " Hn. There are multiple other pressures following the strange one. They aren't strong but I suppose killing some weak demons is a good alternative to beating the detective and the oaf." The teen boy in blue rolled his eyes.

The boys were all in agreement on the new idea for a training session. There was no need to seek out whatever was the cause of the pressures as they could feel them drawing near. Out of the corner of his eye, Hiei noticed a fair-skinned, dark-haired female running down the street. He wouldn't have thought anything of it until he looked at her clothes, traditional miko attire. The fire demon cocked an eyebrow. "It's hard to tell…" Kurama started from behind the other demon. "But I think she might be the holder of that strange pressure." Hiei nodded in agreement. Their hunch was solidified as they watched six low-class demons, possessing the bodies of some high school boys, chase after this dark-haired girl quickly turned into an alleyway. "Well, guys I guess that's our cue," Yusuke announced and the spirit detective group rushed after the girl and the group of demons.

* * *

A dead end. Sparkling blue eyes darted around and heavy breathing echoed in the tight space of the dark alley. "Hehe, end of the line, girl." A demon giggled menacingly, he and his buddies surrounding the girl, blocking any way of escaping. "The closer we are to it…" Another demon sniffed the air "The stronger the scent is. It's delicious…" The demons were practically drooling as they crowded around the girl, backing her up into the brick wall of the alleyway. "S-stay back!" The girl threatened but there was only fear in her melodic voice. The leader of the demon pack stepped forward and grabbed a fistful of the girl's dark tresses from the top of her head, causing her to whimper in pain and pulled her close.

"You aren't in any position to order us around…" He laughed jostling her around a bit. He continued to shake the girl by her hair, enjoying the screams and cries she would let out until he noticed a star-like shaped scar in the middle of her forehead, which would usually be covered by her bangs. A dark smirk crawled onto the demon's face. "Oh, I see now. You are some divine creature, aren't you? Now that strange pressure we felt off you makes total sense. This makes devouring you even better-" The demon suddenly stopped speaking and released the girl, dropping her to the ground. A bright light engulfed the small alleyway, the demon let out a howl of pain and fell to the ground.

As the fell in front of the girl she realized all the other demons were on the ground as well. Past the demons stood four males; one in a green jumpsuit with slicked-back black hair with one hand pointed in her direction in the shape of a gun, another donning a similar blue jumpsuit with orange, ridiculous hair, one with long red hair, emerald eyes in a magenta colored uniform and a shorter black haired male with unusually cold red eyes in a black cloak. "Hn, I could've done this in my sleep, what a waste of time." The shortest one was the first to speak up. "What are you talking about, Hiei we just saved this girl!" The orangette protested. The one with slicked-back hair and the redhead approached the girl, who scrambled to back herself up against the wall. The two knelt down in front of the girl.

"Hey calm down, we aren't gonna hurt you." The teen in the green jumpsuit spoke. "She doesn't seem to be injured…" The redhead spoke, his green eyes looking over the girl. "W-who are you people? Two of you are demons!" The girl was in a state of panic, nearly in tears. "I can assure you...we mean you no harm." The redhead insisted in a soothing voice. "Yeah! You are lookin' at Spirit Detective Yusuke Urameshi. This is Kurama, Kuwabara and that angry one back there is Hiei." The one named Yusuke introduced his team. The one named Kurama gave a gentle smile. Kuwabara looked almost love-struck and hurried next to the girl and the other boys."H-hello there! My name is Kazuma Kuwabara! It's nice to meet you!" He excitedly clasped his hands around the girls. All she could muster was an uneasy laugh. "Hn. Why were those lowly demons after you, your spiritual pressure isn't even that strong." The girl fell silent, her bright blue eyes avoiding eye contact from any of the boys. "I'm sure you could tell Hiei, while it may be weak, there is something different about it."

"Yeah, the one creep in front called you a 'divine creature'?" Kuwabara scratched the back of his head, pondering what the demon had said. Yusuke helped the girl up to her feet and she proceeded to dust off her miko attire. The group finally got a good look at the girl. She stood at around 5'5" with a slender build, save for some modest curves. Her hair as a blueish black in a hime cut style reaching down to her lower back, the bottom tied with a white bow. She had fair, almost porcelain skin and piercing light blue eyes. The girl straightened out her bangs, careful to hide the scar on her forehead and had now regained her composure. She gave a deep bow to the males. "I truly appreciate your help...I would have been dead if it weren't for you, Spirit Detective." She spoke, her voice soft and sweet. "I have heard of you before, all of you." She added, receiving grins from all but Hiei. "Oh really? It's nice to be known by someone who isn't a crazy hellbent demon." Yusuke joked. "Oh, yes. Back home in Kyoto, I heard about your team in the Dark Tournament."

"Kyoto? What brings you to Tokyo then?" Kurama asked but before anything else could be said, another voice could be heard. "Kotone-san!? Kotone-san are you alright?!" A male in a dark blue yukata pushed past the spirit detective group and to the girl's side. "Nobuo-san, I'm fine, thanks to the Spirit Detective and his friends." The male looked over at the group. His scarlet eyes narrowed on the boys for a moment before lightening up. "I cannot thank you enough for saving Kotone-san from danger." The male bowed deeply just as the girl did before straightening up. He stood at about 5'10", smokey silver hair that went down just to his jawline and deep scarlet eyes that hid behind black-framed glasses. The pair that stood in front of the former Team Urameshi was rather attractive by most standards, the girl and boy alike.

"My name is Nobuo Murakami and this is Kotone Tendou. We had just arrived here from Kyoto when those demons attacked us, separating Kotone-san and Myself." Hiei eyed the man carefully, there was something he wasn't telling them. "Hey, Urameshi, why does that name kinda sound familiar?" Kuwabara whispered secretly to Yusuke who only shrugged. "Why did they attack you though, it doesn't make much sense…" Yusuke wondered and Nobuo shook his head before speaking. "I'm afraid I cannot say, at least not here," Nobuo spoke with a tone that was mysterious but urgent. "You work under Lord Koenma don't you?" He took a look at each of the boys.

Yusuke let out a hearty laugh. "Pacifier breath? You could say we do, more or less. Why? You're no ordinary human if you know who he is." While Yusuke kept the conversation in a casual manner there was tension in the air of the unknown of who exactly Kotone and Nobuo were. The tall male put his hands up in a defensive manner. "I assure you we are no threat. In fact, it almost seems as though it is fate that you all saved Kotone-san. If you could, please, Yusuke-san, contact Lord Koenma and if all of you could meet us here at this address this evening, say around 7?" Nobuo slipped Yusuke a small piece of paper with an address. "Until then…" Nobuo bowed once more with Kotone following suit before they moved past the group out of the alleyway and onto the main street.

* * *

"Uh, well that was kind of strange, huh? What are we gonna do?" Kuwabara peered over Yusuke's shoulder to look at the address. "It all seems fishy if you ask me." Yusuke sighed before looking over at Kurama and Hiei who now stood next to each other. "There is something that man wasn't telling us if it's of actual importance who knows and frankly I don't care." Hiei sighed, irritated that he had wasted so much time when he could have been doing some beneficial training to strengthen himself. "While that is true, there was no dark energy to them. Kotone-san did have a spiritual pressure but it was different than what we demons have. However, I can't put my finger on what it is. And as you said Yusuke, Nobuo was indeed human." Kurama had stated the facts he had noticed during their encounter and the group exited the alley. "I think it might be a good idea to contact Koenma." The fox had added, receiving a groan from the teen.

"Okay, okay fine." Yusuke dug out a communicator from his pocket and flipped it open. It only took a few moments before the baby-faced Koenma showed up on the other side of the screen. "Well, this isn't something you see every day! Yusuke calling me!" The ruler of the Spirit World laughed which only made Yusuke roll his eyes. "It won't be a normal happening, trust me but I have something I needed to run by you." Koenma looked at the boy curiously and nodded for Yusuke to continue. "Just now we had saved a girl from being eaten by demons. Her name was Kotone Tendou. She has a strange spiritual pressure around her but it was weak. There was also a guy with her named Nobuo Murakami who asked about you. Do either of those names ring a bell?"

The toddler leaned back in his chair as he pondered. In the right corner of the frame, Botan could be seen waving happily to the group. "Anyway, the guy gave us an address and requested us to meet them there later tonight. He asked for you to be there too..." Koenma's eyes went wide for a moment. "Strange. One of those names sound kind of familiar but I can't place it. It's rare for someone to request my presence somewhere in the human world. Must be pretty important!" The spirit world leader boasted. "How sure are you that it's not some sort of trap?" Kurama decided to speak up. "They mean us no harm, there was a good air about them but that is all I can say to vouch for them. I can't think of what they could possibly want from us or you though." Koenma tapped his chin before nodding more to himself than to anyone else.

"Well, it's been a little bit since I've visited the moral world anyway. Might as well hear these people out. Botan! Get ready we are heading to the mortal world!" Botan could be heard cheering before the communicator cut off. The group exchanged looks at each other before shrugging. "Well, I guess that settles it, we'll hear them out." Yusuke looked over the address once more. "Aaww man! My favorite anime was gonna air a new episode tonight." The orange haired punk cried. "Hn, this is so pointless." Hiei shared Kuwabara's reluctance to fill his evening with this meeting. "Just record your dumb show, Kuwabara!" Yusuke elbowed his friend as the group walked down the street.

There was only an hour or two before the meeting time and the sun was giving it's last rays of light before the moon took its place. It was agreed that the group would meet up 30 minutes before heading out to the address Nobuo had given them. While they were a bit curious what the two strangers may have wanted, they didn't seem worried about running into any trouble. Maybe it would be another case for the spirit detective team. It had to be of some importance if they asked for Koenma's attendance. It wouldn't be long before they would have their answers...


	2. Chapter 2

It was about 6:30 pm when everyone assembled at Genkai's home, the sky was dark and crickets could be heard chirping around them. "Ever since leaving Spirit World I've tried to think about the names of the two people you mentioned, Yusuke, but nothing is coming to me…" Koenma, now in his teen form, let out a defeated sigh and only received a shrug from the spirit detective. "Of course you don't come through when we are counting on you," Yusuke teased the leader of the spirit realm. Genkai cleared her throat as she stood up from where she was once sitting. "Why don't the both of you shut up for a minute." Her voice was curt and dry when she spoke. The two males fell silent, not wanting to anger the irritable psychic. She glanced at the area around her. Koenma, Kuwabara,Kurama, and Botan all sat in the inside of the room, while Yusuke leaned against a pillar on the outside and Hiei perched up in a tree, still within earshot.

"The man's name, Murakami you said?" The group nodded in agreement. "I know of the name but not a lot of information goes with it." Yusuke perked up and looked towards Genkai. "Well spill the beans, grandma." The pinkette opted in ignoring Yusuke's comment and continued on. "I've heard about that family before. They are human…" Genkai paused, trying to find the right words. "But they serve as guardians for higher beings. Unfortunately, I don't know any specifics but they aren't a threat, that I know for sure." There was a feeling of relief in the air as Genkai said this. "Well that's all good and great that they are on our side but if they need our help…" Kuwabara couldn't help but frown, clenching his fists. "I've got a bad feeling about this, guys." Kurama stood up next to Genkai. "I have to agree with Kuwabara on this. I think it's about time for us to meet up with them, shall we get going?" The group had no objections and Yusuke pulled out the address he was given earlier that day.

Upon arriving at the designated place, the group looked up in awe, save for Kuwabara. A large, elegant Torii towered over the group with steps leading up to a shrine. From just in front of where the group was standing, all the way to the shrine and a little past it, a golden barrier hung above and around the area. "That's quite the impressive barrier. I'm curious about who they are trying to keep out…" Kurama could tell this wasn't some usual barrier. "This is so stupid! Everyone is so impressed with this big ol' bubble and I can't see it! Not having my spirit powers is a pain in the ass." The orange haired male pitifully kicked some pebbles at his feet to the side.

Before Yusuke could make some kind of remark to Kuwabara, one of his pockets began to glow in a bright blue light. "What the hell?" The spirit detective felt around in his pocket until he pulled out a glowing piece of paper. The same paper Nobuo had given them with the address written on it. The address had disappeared and was replaced with talisman symbols. "Welcome, everyone." A male voice echoed in the minds of all in the group. "I'm glad you found the place okay. With that talisman, Yusuke-san is holding you will all be able to enter through the barrier and to the shrine. Be sure to stay close together as you make your way here." The voice warned before falling silent and leaving the group to give one another a confused look. "Well you heard the guy, let's go."

* * *

Everyone huddled close together while Yusuke took the lead, talisman in hand. The group walked in under the Torii and it was as if they passed through a threshold. "I don't like this…" Hiei grumbled from the back of the group's line while they ascended the stairs up to the shrine. "I don't know what you are talking about, Hiei. I don't feel any threat at all. I actually feel really happy…" Botan replied to the fire demon, a little confused by the situation. "Yeah, I feel amazing! Like that, I'm surging with power." Kuwabara flexed as if to prove his point. "Hiei's right. Something is wrong...I feel as though my power is slowly being drained."

Kurama cautiously looked around them, everything seemed to be oh so normal but different somehow. The night sky was beautiful, moonlight graced everything it touched and the lanterns that lit the stairway gave a feeling of peace but there was something nagging from within his soul that something was being taken away from him. Koenma and Genkai remained silent, only exchanging glances to one another for a brief second. Finally, the group arrived at the top of the hill the shrine was perched upon and they were greeted by Nobuo and Kotone. The feelings of discomfort left Kurama and Hiei and all the others felt no more of that warm energy from before. "I apologize if the walk up here was a bit uncomfortable for the two of you." Nobuo's apology directed at the two demons. "Come, let's sit inside and I'll explain everything."

The group had no qualms and followed the two strangers towards the immaculate shrine. Once inside, the group all sat on one side while Nobuo and Kotone were on the other. There was only silence for a moment before Nobuo smiled brightly. "What would you like to know first?" He casually asked, the group almost taken aback by his sudden informality. "What was with that barrier back there?" Hiei was the first to shoot off a question. Nobuo chuckled slightly. "Are you deaf-" "Hiei, shut your trap. We are guests here." Genkai snapped at the fire demon. "It's a blessed barrier. Only certain people can pass through it. Otherwise, you need a talisman like the one I had given Yusuke to enter. But I suppose even with that, it was still trying to purify you?" The group all shared a look of shock. "Blessed? Purify? What the hell are you talking about?" Yusuke leaned forward.

"Yes, as I said, a blessed barrier. For humans and spirit folk it gives you energy and peace of mind. For demons on the other hand, and I mean no offense when I say this, the damned race, cannot pass, as their souls are forever tainted by darkness." Nobuo paused for a brief moment before continuing. "If a weak enough demon were to try and walk past that barrier he would be 'exorcised' immediately. Such a corrupted soul cannot even step foot on blessed land." Kuwabara cleared his throat. "Uh, by exorcised do you mean killed?" The grey-haired male nodded slightly. "Okay then, next question, why in the hell do you need such a powerful and 'blessed' barrier around this place?" Yusuke was now eyeing Nobuo curiously. "It's my fault." A female voice spoke up and all eyes shot over to Kotone, who bowed slightly. "I have a hard time controlling my powers sometimes and it alarms demons…"

* * *

"And why would your powers catch the attention of demons?" Kurama grew more and more interested with the unfolding story. Both Nobuo and Kotone gave a deep bow to the group. "I know I've introduced myself before but I'd like to do so again. My name is Nobuo Murakami and I am the guardian of Kotone Tendou, one of the very few Kirin left in this world."

"I had a hunch she was some divine being but to think a Kirin?" Genkai was taken aback and Koenma broke away from his gaze on Kotone over to Genkai."A Kirin? I thought they were just legend at this point…" Koenma slowly looked back at the young dark-haired female sitting in front of them. Botan, Kuwabara, and Yusuke were the only ones not fathoming the importance of the situation. "Okay, I'll bite, what's a Kirin?" The spirit detective asked anyone who was willing to answer. Nobuo flashed a cocky smile and an 'oh you don't know'? Look in the spirit detective's direction. The male sat up straight and took a deep breath. "A Kirin is a holy and highly revered animal. A body of a deer with dragon-like scales covering it and a tail like an ox!" Nobuo started, his voice filled with joy. Kotone could be seen turning her head away from the group to hide her embarrassment. "A flowing mane as well. Its body and mane are covered in a brilliant holy fire. It's beauty only surpassed by its rarity and they only appear in periods of world peace...or so the legends say." The male playfully patted the head of the embarrassed girl.

"So you mean to tell me that she," Yusuke pointed over at Kotone," is some rare, holy animal?" Nobuo nodded. "In layman's terms, yes, she is. She has an incredibly strong power inside of her. Sometimes it's hard to keep it under control in a human body but it's the safest option for her. However, when she has surges of holy power come from her body it attracts demons and deities alike in hopes they could obtain the source of the power. It's said the power of a Kirin can grant godhood. Or for a demon, make them stronger than any other. A modern-day Devil, if you will." Kotone decided to speak up once more. "I've lived in Kyoto all my life, being watched over by Nobuo-san and his family. They taught me how to control and suppress my powers. But as of recently, it's been hard to control them sometimes…" The girl sighed, her light blue eyes not able to make any direct eye contact. "There is someone who has caught on to Kotone-san's powers. We don't know who but whoever it is has already tried attacking us twice. The last time was when you all saved her from those demons…If Kotone were to fall into the hands of the wrong person it could mean the destruction of spirit, human and demon worlds. We are begging you all, please, help us find out who is hunting Kotone and bring them down." Nobuo and Kotone gave the group another deep, pleading bow.

"Of course we'll help you…" This had to be one of the very few times Yusuke and the others have heard Koenma talk in such a sincere, calm way. A true king of the spirit world. "I've heard stories from my father before. It's something even he truly fears happening one day. It's a serious threat." Koenma explained to the group and crossed his arms. "I can't let something like that happen while Spirit World is under my watch. Of course, Yusuke and his team will work closely on this case. I am also extending myself and my staff for extra support if need be." Smiles lifted up on the lips of both Nobuo and Kotone. "Thank you so much, Lord Koenma." Nobuo's voice was soft as he spoke, his crimson eyes shining brightly. "I apologize for all the trouble…" Kotone expressed but the group just offered her reassuring smiles.

* * *

Nobuo stood up from his spot and moved over to a small box he had set off to the side. "Here, I will give all of you a blessed talisman so you can come and go freely without any problems. Kurama-san, Hiei-san, I made yours a little stronger so you don't feel drained every time you have to make the trip." The guardian passed out the small papers, Hiei gingerly taking his. "I shouldn't need a stupid piece of paper to come to a damned shrine…" The fire demon grumbled but carefully tucked the item away. Kuwabara leaned over towards Yusuke and whispered in a low voice. " I still get the feeling we've heard Kotone-chan's name before…" The two boys sat and thought for a few moments before the realization washed over them at the same time. "YOU'RE THE NEW TRANSFER STUDENT?!" The two startled the dark-haired female.

"Oh? I thought the two of you already knew?" Nobuo looked at the boys quizzically. "I was actually at the school earlier today to meet the teachers and pick up my uniform." Kotone pushed a few locks of her hair behind her ear. "That means you'll be in our class, Kotone-chan! Urameshi and I will be able to look after you!" Kuwabara flashed a large goofy grin at the girl. "Hey, I'll be there too, you know!" Botan quickly added. "Well, it would seem as this is fate, wouldn't you all say?" Nobuo smiled brightly and Hiei scoffed. "Oh, don't mind him. He has no manners." Kurama assured both Nobuo and Kotone who only laughed. "I'm glad Kotone-san will be under the protection of such a unique group. I'm sure she will learn a lot from you all. If you ever need my assistance with anything, if I am not here at the shrine then I am usually at the local university, I'm a junior there." A few in the group nodded to the information and Genkai took the opportunity to stand up. "This has been a bit of information to process. I suggest we meet up in a few days to figure out a plan of attack. Also, Kotone…"The elder women eyed the younger one. "A-ah, yes, ma'am?"

"If you are going to be around these rowdy boys I suggest we get you training in some basic fighting skills. You never know when you might need to defend yourself and I will work with you in controlling your powers better and possibly be using them to your benefit."

Kotone's eyes lit up with excitement. "Really? Oh, thank you so much, Genkai-san! I promise to do my best. I don't want to weigh anyone down." Kotone's voice was firm, determination flowed through her voice and rested on her face. After a few more words the group took their leave from the shrine. It was decided that Yusuke,Kuwabara, and Botan would meet halfway to school tomorrow as their routes intersected. Koenma and Genkai remained silent on the walk back from the shrine. When parting ways they said that the both of them needed to do some research. Kurama said his family was expecting him back home to which Hiei sneered at. "Why do you keep humoring that stupid human family?" Kurama chuckled. "You don't mean that, Hiei. I know you are probably on your way to Genkai's to check up on Yukina."

The fox had hit the nail right on the head and Hiei quickly turned away to hide his embarrassment. The demon jumped up into a tree where he looked down at his former partner, the spirit detective and the oaf. "The only reason I'm being complacent about this case is that I'm very curious about that girl's powers…" With that the demon hurried off, jumping from tree to tree towards his destination. Kurama directed his attention back to the others. "I'll be on my way then. Remember to meet Kotone-san right here tomorrow. We don't know who or what we are up against so we can't be too careful." Yusuke let out a loud, obnoxious yawn. "Yeah, yeah. We know, Mom." Kurama took his leave and the others did as well. Once the street intersection was clear of any person, a tall figure shrouded in shadows removed itself from its hiding spot between buildings and vanished in thin air...


	3. Chapter 3

Bright blue eyes stared back at themselves in the reflection of a tall mirror, anxiety and worry flooded every inch of them. "You look like an actual school girl now…" A male voice sighed wistfully from behind the eyes. Kotone tore her gaze away from herself in the mirror to Nobuo behind her. "What is that supposed to mean?" Her brow furrowed, cheeks puffing out in a pout. Letting out a warm laugh, Nobuo gently placed his hand on Kotone's head and tousled her hair. "You've spent your life under the roofs of designated shrines back in Kyoto. You've always been homeschooled and never able to live like a normal girl." He removed his hand, his scarlet eyes looking up and down at the young divine creature.

"Seeing you in such a cute uniform truly is a blessing!" Nobuo wrapped his arms around the girl's shoulders, pulling her close and nuzzled her. "If you didn't have Yusuke-san and the others looking after you I'd be so worried! So worried about boys in your class! Maybe I should be hired by your school to be a teacher!" The male was obviously teasing and over exaggerating to embarrass the girl and it worked like a charm. "D-don't say weird things like that!" Kotone wiggled herself out of Nobuo's embrace and straightened up her hair bow that might've gotten crushed during the altercation, her cheeks burning a dark pink. The girl donned the Sarayashiki junior high school girl uniform, very out of her usual realm of attire, she felt out of place in the blue sailor top and skirt. "Does it look weird? I really don't want to stand out…" The guardian cut his playful act to give the girl a genuine smile. "It doesn't look weird…" Kotone tilted her head, it seemed as though Nobuo wanted to say more but he refrained. The two didn't linger on it and Nobuo moved to the kitchen to retrieve Kotone's bento and her school bag. "Don't worry. You'll be in good hands. If you ever need anything I put my number in your cell phone. I know a lot of these experiences to come are going to be strange and new to you but you'll do great. My classes at the college run late tonight so you'll probably get home before me,"

"I'll make dinner then! To celebrate us coming here…" At first, Kotone exclaimed but she lost her confidence as she continued, embarrassed by her own outburst. The boy looked down at Kotone, who was too flustered to make eye contact with him. He looked at her with kindness and longing but quickly hid his gaze behind his glasses. Nobuo had been with Kotone since she was born. His family, Murakami, have been guardians for gods, deities and divine creatures alike for hundreds of generations. His fate was tied to Kotone's to be her guardian. To protect her and always be by her side. In the beginning, he despised her for that. He couldn't have a normal life because of her. Having contact with humans outside of the Murakami family or other guardian families was incredibly rare. Nobuo buried the memories deep in the recesses of his mind and his focus went back to Kotone, who smiled shyly at him. "I can't wait. It's not very often I get to be graced with your cooking."

The two exited a moderately sized traditional style home behind the shrine they had met in with Team Urameshi the night before. As they descended the steps from the shrine and out onto the sidewalk, Nobuo smiled once more at Kotone. "I'll see you tonight, Kotone-san. You should hurry, don't want to keep your new friends waiting. " Kotone glanced down at delicate wrist watch she wore around her left wrist. "Ah! I didn't know it was already this late! Have a good day, Nobuo-san!" Kotone waved to the smokey haired male and dashed off in the opposite direction of him. As Kotone's frame gradually grew smaller in the distance, Nobuo's eyes narrowed. "They found her faster than I anticipated...I hope Yusuke and his friends can protect her…" The male turned his back to Kotone's direction and strolled off towards the college.

* * *

Kotone was in a brisk jog and she hurried down the streets to an intersection a few blocks away from the shrine. There waited Yusuke, Kuwabara, Keiko and the blue-haired female from last night who she hadn't caught the name of. "G'morning, Kotone-chan!" Kuwabara said excitedly before the blue haired female slid in front of him. "I don't think I ever introduced myself, I'm so sorry!" The female radiated a bright smile. "I'm Botan! Spirit detective assistant and grim reaper to the spirit world! I do hope we get along." Kotone couldn't help but smile at the ferry girl. Up until just days ago, Kotone had led such an isolated and sheltered life. Now, as she looked in front of her, these were just a few of the new people she had met and it made her feel so warm and welcomed. "I think we'll get along great, Botan-sa-"

"Nuh-uh! No honorifics with me or anyone here! We're all friends." Botan corrected the girl who only blushed. "Take your time, Kotone-chan. I'm sure it's a lot for you to handle." Keiko, the girl she had met yesterday while visiting the school spoke up. The look of confusion on her face as to why Keiko was there was obviously apparent and Yusuke placed his hand on Kotone's shoulder. "Don't worry, she's with us."

"Yeah, she's Urameshi's girlfriend!" Kuwabara cooed, only to receive death glares from both Yusuke and Keiko alike. "Now, now. We really should get going. Don't want to make Kotone-chan late for her first day!" Botan ushered the group to continue walking forward towards the junior high.

The school was a short walk away at this point and the group made it on grounds with plenty of time to spare. "Man, classes haven't even started and I'm ready to leave. Maybe we should just hit up the arcade…" "I'm with ya on that, Urameshi."

"Uh, I don't think so, guys!" Keiko folded her arms. "You just got back from the Dark Tournament a little while ago and have hardly attended school!"

Yusuke let out a groan and continued walking down the halls. "Yeah, yeah. I know. I'm not goin' anywhere…" Kotone couldn't help but smile. Everyone was so carefree, not like back home. She wondered how long she and Nobuo would be allowed to stay in this town before having to return back to Kyoto. Hopefully never. While walking to their classroom, a man passed by the group. A tall, pale man with short spiky moss green hair and piercing yellow eyes in a dark blue casual suit. Keiko paused in her steps and looked back at the adult. "Strange...I've never seen that teacher before.."

"Huh? What was that, Keiko? Like you know every teacher in the school? Haha, you sound like a nerd." Yusuke snorted, only to make Keiko turn a dark red and fume. "S-shut up, Yusuke! I'm going to get you for that!" The brunette female yelled, chasing Yusuke into the classroom. The others followed just as the bell for class to start rang.

Everyone nestled into their seats aside from Kotone, who stood up at the front of the class. All eyes were on her and whispers carried. "Who's that?" "She's pretty cute, huh?" "I saw her walking with Urameshi's group this morning. She picked the wrong crowd to hang with,"

* * *

"Alright, alright, settle down, everyone." A monotone voice called as the door to the classroom slid open. The class's homeroom teacher, an older gentleman, shuffled in, papers in hand. As he made his way over to this desk he gestured to Kotone. "We have a new student with us today. Go ahead and introduce yourself, dear." Kotone nodded and picked up chalk to write out her name on the board. "My name is Kotone Tendou. It's nice to meet you all." The dark haired girl faced the class to give a respectful bow. "Everyone treat her well, okay?" The teacher prodded before the class all said 'yes' in unison. "Now, how about you take the seat right next to Yukimura-san." The teacher pointed to Keiko who smiled happily at Kotone. The girl had no argument and quickly took her seat next to Keiko and behind Botan. Both Yusuke and Kuwabara sat at the back of the class, next to the windows. Curious students would sneak glances over at Kotone but other than that, homeroom continued on as usual. The morning classes proved to be a little overwhelming for Kotone so when lunch break rolled around she couldn't help but be relieved. "Classes in public schools are much more different than I anticipated…" The female let out a defeated sigh, looking down at the delicious bento Nobuo had made for her. The group opted to eat outside, to have a little more privacy. "What do you mean? Were you homeschooled or somethin?" Yusuke asked, stealing a riceball from Kuwabara's bento without him even noticing.

The girl nodded. "Back home I lived in a large, traditional style mansion with Nobuo-san and his family. I never left that shrine unless it was to visit one of the neighboring families similar to his. So needless to say I got my education behind the shrine walls. Either Nobuo-san himself would teach me or they would bring in a trusted tutor. My time outside of the shrines in Kyoto was very limited. Since moving here this is the most I've been outside of a shrine. It's all so new to me." Kotone explained, a little embarrassed by how sheltered her life had been. Botan was the first to speak up. "How about this weekend we have some fun showing Kotone-chan around the town? I'm sure Kurama would be up for it….Hiei I'm not so sure.." Botan tapped her chin as she thought. Yusuke beamed a devilish grin. "Oh, I bet I can think of a way to get him to go…" The teen boy laughed and Kuwabara nodded in excitement. "We can go to the arcade and maybe even do some karaoke! Oh, do you think sweet Yukina could come!? I would love to show her more of the human world." Yusuke's grin got even bigger and now Botan had caught on to the spirit detective's plan. "Oh yeah, I bet she would love to come with us."

"Mind if I tag along too? You guys haven't done much relaxing since coming back from the Dark Tournament." Keiko inquired and the blue-haired female locked her into a hug. "Of course you can, Keiko! The more the merrier!"

Everyone seemed to be in high spirits now, excited for the fun weekend ahead. "Thank you all so much. I know we've already asked so much of you all." The girl dipped into a polite bow and the group smiled gently. "Hey, don't sweat it. It'll keep us from being bored." Yusuke gave Kotone a thumbs up and Kuwabara placed a hand on the girl's shoulder. "How about I treat you to some awesome melon bread? If there is anything good about this school its the food." Botan threw her hand up. "Oh! I'll go too! It's been a while since I've played student so I hardly get any goodies from here. Yusuke, Keiko, we'll leave you two alone for a few minutes. Bye bye~" The ferry girl pushed both Kuwabara and Kotone through the door from the roof to back inside the school building, not giving the young couple a chance to argue. There was casual chit-chat between the three as they navigated through the school halls to the cafeteria where there was a student ran stall with baked goodies. There were quite a few people in the line and the three took their place in it. "I swear they better not run out before we get up there! I'll fight someone for theirs!" Kuwabara promised the girls who only begged him not to do such a thing.

"Excuse me…" A deep male voice called from behind the group. "Are you Kotone Tendou?" The group looked back to see the tall man they had noticed in the hallway earlier while walking to their class. "Yes, sir. I'm Kotone." The girl looked up at the man, their eyes locked for a brief moment before she looked away. There was something off about his eyes. "Oh, wonderful." His lips curled into a smile. "Your homeroom teacher, Tachibana-sensei, asked me to come find you and tell you that he needed you in the teacher's lounge. He said something about you needing to fill out some more paperwork."

"Oh, I guess I missed a few pages yesterday. I'll head right over." The man nodded and slipped away into the sea of students without another word. "What a weirdo teacher..." Kuwabara scoffed as the line inched forward. "Lunch is almost over so I should head to the teacher's lounge now before class starts again," Kotone explained to both Botan and Kuwabara. "Would you like me to take you there?" Kuwabara offered but Kotone declined. "No, thank you. I remember where to go and it shouldn't take long." The two didn't argue and Kotone turned around to head towards the teacher's lounge. The room was one floor up and a few halls down to the right. Kotone had suddenly taken note of how eerily empty the hall was but chalked it up to everyone already being in their classrooms after lunch. After a few more steps Kotone stood in front of the door to the teacher's lounge just as the bell for classes to start rang once more.

* * *

Students flooded back into class as the bell rang but there was someone missing. "Hey, Kuwabara, where is Kotone?" Yusuke asked, noticing the empty seat next to Keiko. "She needed to stop by the teacher's lounge to fill some forms out for Tachibana-sensei." The orangette explained, holding on to his bag of baked goodies he snatched up before the lunch break was over. The group thought nothing else of it until the door to the classroom slide open and their homeroom teacher, Tachibana-sensei, strolled in. Botan gasped and the two boys felt their blood run cold.

"Tachibana-sensei? I'm sorry if I'm a little late…" The girl knocked on the door but there was no answer. "Sensei?" The girl slid the door open to find a room shrouded in darkness. The girl furrowed her brow, something wasn't right. "I'm glad you came so quickly…" A voice growled from the darkness. Before Kotone could even blink, a large hand lunged out of the darkness and pulled the girl in. Everything happened so fast she didn't even have time to scream. The hand moved from her wrist up to her neck, where she was pinned up against a wall, the grip of the hand tightening around her delicate neck. Kotone desperately tried to pry the hand off her neck, she could hardly breathe. "L-let...me go…" Kotone pleaded in between gasps for air. Yellow eyes could be seen in the darkness, nothing but evil and malice could be seen in them. "It was a lot easier than I thought it would be to get you away from the spirit detective and his friends…" The voice laughed, his grip on Kotone's throat grew tighter for a split second, he was toying with her. Kotone's eyes began to adjust to the abnormal darkness and she was able to make out the outline of a body, the body that was holding her captive. The man removed himself from the shadows to reveal the tall, pale man the group had seen twice now today. "Who...are you?" Kotone did not stop her attempts at freeing herself. The man laughed, bringing his face close to her's.

"My name is Ryujin, dragon king, and sea god…" He drew closer, now only an inch or so away from Kotone's face, he breathed in as if taking in her sent. "I have orders to capture you...but that doesn't mean I can't have a little fun beforehand." Kotone visibly shuttered as the man licked her cheek, his tongue abnormally long. The girl's hands tightened around his as she tried even harder to release herself, gasping all the while.

* * *

"SHIT!" Yusuke pushed up from his desk, Kuwabara and Botan following soon after, dashing out of the classroom. Their teacher's yelling fell on deaf ears. "Where are you guys going!?" Keiko yelled from the classroom. "Kotone is in danger!" Was all the information Yusuke gave Keiko as they sprinted off. "It was that man from this morning! He was the one who told her to go to the teacher's lounge." Botan informed the detective. Both Kuwabara and Yusuke a few steps ahead of Botan.

"Let me go!" Kotone protested, struggling with all of her might. The man laughed, tightening his grip on her throat again. "You aren't in any position to be making threats, little Kirin." His nails dug into the soft skin on her neck, drawing a little bit of blood. "Your blood smells so sweet. I'm sure they won't mind if I hand you over a little beaten up." Kotone gritted her teeth, blue eyes flashing between fear and anger. Ryujin raised his other hand, his nails growing into sharp claws.

"STOP RIGHT THERE, ASSHOLE!" A male voice boomed from behind them. Ryujin turned and Kotone spotted Yusuke in the doorway, pointing out his index finger like a gun, a light blue energy beaming at the tip of his finger. "Y-Yusuke…!" Kotone gasped as Ryujin's grip tightened once more. "Spirit detective…" The man growled before swinging Kotone in front of his body to act as a human shield. "Don't even think about shooting that annoying spirit gun for yours. I'd hate to have to use her to block it." Ryujin grinned as he held Kotone close, his yellow eyes locked onto Yusuke for his move. Yusuke grunted as he lowered his hand to his side before balling it up in a fist. He and Kuwabara stood their ground, ready to fight. Ryujin waved his free hand, a line of dark blue light flashed in front of the spirit detective team. For a moment there was nothing but before they could even react ribbons of water wrapped around Yusuke, Kuwabara, and Botan.

"I wonder how long you all can hold your breath? Let's find out!" The water engulfed the three, leaving them unable to breathe and feverishly attempting to break free. "No! Stop it!" Kotone watched as the efforts of the three grew weaker by the second. She felt so scared and helpless. It was her fault they were in this mess. Hot tears welled up in the corner of her eyes. Suddenly the scar on her forehead began to glow in a white light, Kotone's eyes shifted from their bright blue to a stunning gold and her midnight black tresses were now a snow white. "LET THEM GO!" Just as the last word escaped her mouth, Kotone was surrounded in the white light. The water that was suffocating Yusuke, Kuwabara, and Botan disappeared instantly and a howl of pain could be heard from behind. As Kotone was released from Ryujin's grasp, her features turned back to normal. Kuwabara scrambled to his feet to catch the girl just before she hit the ground. The brute caught the creature successfully and he looked down at her. "Kotone-chan are you alright?" There was no response. Upon further inspection, Kuwabara noticed the girl was unconscious.

* * *

"Augh! That little bitch! That hurt..." Ryujin growled, gripping onto his left arm that was smoking from the elbow down. He looked down to see his pale skin burned off, revealing a scaled, clawed hand; the hand of his actual form. "I'm surprised she could do as much as that. Well, I guess there is no use for this human form anymore…" The tall man flexed his body, his skin slipping from place and falling to the ground in shreds. While still having the silhouette of a man, Ryujin was now covered in dark blue and green scales, had a tail and his face was one of a dragon. He also now towered over the teens even more than he already had previously. Kuwabara scooted himself back over to Yusuke and Botan, holding Kotone close. Yusuke, already back on his feet, loaded his spirit gun once more. "I gotta say, I liked your human face more. You look a hell of a lot uglier as a lizard."

Ryujin scoffed and took a step forward, the ground beneath him shook under his weight. "This is why all you humans will die. You forgot how to respect Gods!" Ryujin lunged at Yusuke with such speed the teen didn't even have a chance to aim the spirit gun. The dragon pinned Yusuke to the ground, ramming his head into the tiles. "Don't forget your place, boy." Ryujin snarled, bearing his large fans at Yusuke. Just the slightest movement from Ryujin and Yusuke could feel his sharp claws cut away at the skin where he was pinned down. "Urameshi!" "Yusuke!" Kuwabara and Botan yelled as they watch their friend from below the large dragon. "You have a lot of spirit energy though. Maybe I should just eat you to absorb your power!" Ryujin's mouth opened wide, almost as if his jaw had unhinged itself, showing off rows of razor-sharp fangs. Just as Ryujin lurched forward to bite off the head of the spirit detective, Yusuke pulled his right arm free of Ryujin's grasp but his bicep was slashed by the dragon's claws. "Spirit gun!" Yusuke yelled, jamming his finger into the mouth of Ryujin.

The sheer force of the shot pushed Ryujin off Yusuke, causing him to fly back. There were cries and bellows of agony for a few seconds before the beast fell silent. Yusuke remained on the floor, panting heavily as he assessed the damage to his right arm. It laid in a pool of blood that streamed from the wounds. "Yusuke! Those cuts are really deep!" Botan gasped as she hurried to Yusuke's side. Botan quickly used the yellow scarf from her uniform to wrap Yusuke's wounds. The ferry girl proceeds to hover her hands over the quickly staining bandaged arm and they began to glow, along with Yusuke's arm. "I can't heal you all the way but I can at least slow the bleeding down…" Botan explained as she concentrated on healing the spirit detective. Yusuke carefully sat up as his assistant worked on his arm. He looked over at Kuwabara who held Kotone carefully in his arms. Before the two boys could exchange words, Ryujin crawled out of the shadows, his breathing low and shallow, the spirit gun had completely gone through the back of his mouth and through the back of his head. "Y-you…." He gasped. "You damned brat….!" Ryujin staggered to his feet and the teens braced themselves."How is he still alive!? You shot through his head!" Kuwabara was exasperated. Was he really looking at a large dragon being in the middle of his school alive with a hole through his head from the spirit gun?! "L….lord Susanoo...won't be happy...to hear about my failure…" Blood dripped from Ryujin's disfigured mouth as he spoke. His yellow eyes looked dull and listless. "You...you have no idea what you and your friends are getting involved in…" With those final words, Ryujin's body faded into golden orbs of light and disappeared.

The group remained silent for a few minutes. "There...it stopped bleeding for now." Botan sighed with relief. Yusuke's eyes never strayed from where Ryujin once stood. "I know I'm not new to getting threats but his kinda worried me…" The dark haired boy stated, his mind still wrapping around the fact the dragon was able to survive the spirit gun at such a close range and with so much power. "Uh, maybe we should hurry to Genkai's." Kuwabara offered as he walked over to Yusuke and Botan with Kotone in tow. "Kuwabara's right. It might not safe for us to be here right now. We can contact Kurama, Hiei, and Nobuo once we get there." Botan sided with Kuwabara and Yusuke had no objection. "Alright, let's get outta here. Don't drop her, Kuwabara." Yusuke dashed down the hall. "Wha-!? I would never drop her!" Kuwabara and Botan ran after Yusuke.

Time had passed and the group arrived at Genkai's. After setting Kotone up in a separate room to rest, they contacted the other three and waited for their arrival before discussing the events that transpired a few hours earlier. Once the other three men arrived, the entire group sat down in a large open room. Yusuke, Kuwabara, and Botan all explained what had happened. "Gods? 'Lord Susanoo'? Who are these people?" Yusuke asked the group. Nobuo let out a heavy sigh as he leaned back. "Are you sure that's the name he said?" The three nodded. "That's too far fetched."Hiei insisted with a frown. "Far-fetched yes, but not impossible…" Genkai corrected the fire demon as she crossed her arms. "I'm sure Kotone-san will have more information for us when she wakes up. If it's good or bad information, I'm not sure." Kurama glanced over to the room Kotone was sleeping in.

"Kotone…"

"Kotone wake up…"

Kotone's eyes snapped open, hearing her name being called by such a welcoming voice. As she looked around all she saw was bright white light but it felt warm and comforting.

"Where am I?" Kotone looked around in confusion.

"We're in your consciousness, my dear." The warm, feminine voice spoke once more. Kotone spun around to see the silhouette of a woman shrouded in light. She radiated such a shining light Kotone had to squint at the sudden brightness. "Who are you?" Kotone asked, her voice soft and curious. The woman smiled.


End file.
